Vertical Elevation is a talent equity and leadership and coaching advisory firm specializing in strategic business planning, leadership development, and career coaching. By tackling the root causes of high employee turnover and low workplace morale, we motivate and inspire our clients to create and sustain a healthy, talent-centric company that runs at maximum efficiency.
For nearly 30 years, we’ve helped businesses avoid making repeat mistakes by developing confident, competent leadership teams that allow your company to run like a well-oiled machine.
Sign up for Rise, our monthly newsletter, and our weekly podcast email
We promise not to spam you
Carol Schultz is a recognized thought leader in the business world best known for her creation of “Talent-Centric Organizations” (TCOs). She has dedicated her career to creating spaces where employees feel valued and engaged, leadership is aligned, and the bottom line is ever-growing.
She spent three decades as a professional recruiter and executive coach, working with leaders across various industries to gain clarity in their careers, create a culture of performance for their teams, and make bold leadership moves. Her clients ranged from Seed-stage pre-IPOs to publicly traded companies in various industries.
Years into her career, she noticed a pattern in the problems her clients were facing. CEOs had repeatedly approached her with what they thought was a “recruiting problem” or a “retention problem” because they were losing employees. However, it was revealed to be the same deeper issue every time: prioritizing money over talent.
Carol spent years researching and formulating an approach to this systemic problem. In her best-selling book, “Powered By People”, she uncovered a path forward: talent-centricity. She coined the term TCO to describe the result of a company that undergoes the process of refocusing on its employees and aligning its talent and business strategy to improve retention, culture, and profits.
She then designed and launched Vertical Elevation, a talent equity and leadership coaching and advisory firm dedicated to transforming companies into TCOs. To date, she and her team have helped businesses in almost every industry. Not only does she assist clients privately, but she also does speaking engagements to educate leaders collectively.
Passionate about entrepreneurship and inspiring future founders, she also hosts the “Authentically Successful Show”, a podcast where she interviews various founders about their successes and failures.
Although Carol is originally a St. Louis native, she currently resides in Colorado. When she’s not running Vertical Elevation, she spends her free time riding her Rocky Mountain Horses, working hard in her garden, and enjoying all the outdoor activities that living in America’s playground offers. She’s a foster mom for Animal Rescue of the Rockies and is the parent of a rescued Australian Cattle Dog mix, and a small herd of rescued cats. Carol holds a BS degree from the University of Montana and an MS degree from the University of Michigan.
Barb believes leaders and teams should have more range, resiliency, and meaning in their work. Backed by more than 26 years of experience as a Leadership Coach, Talent Development Leader, and Change Consultant, is passionate about helping leaders navigate complexity and uses proven tools such as Emergenetics® and Leadership Circle™ 360 assessments in her leadership training. She is a Dare to Lead™ Facilitator, on faculty for the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) and a Professional Certified Coach with the ICF.
Her extensive consulting experience at Accenture and IBM Global Services paired with her background as Director of Talent Development at First Data and TWTelecom make Barb an unparalleled force in leadership and talent development.
To add to her impressive list of accomplishments, Barb enjoys a multi-generational, multi-family living situation affectionately known as ‘The Compound’ in the Denver suburbs. Along with her husband and two teenage boys are her mother and brother’s family. This means 5 adults, 5 teenagers, 2 dogs, a cat, and endless opportunities to enjoy good food, outdoor adventures, and bad dad jokes together.
Dr. Stephanie Duguid is a renowned expert in Educational Leadership and an International Best-Selling Author. With over 100 conference invitations and numerous appearances at colleges and universities nationwide, Dr. Stephanie is a sought-after speaker known for her expertise in positive educational leadership and effective communication.
Drawing from decades of experience in K-12 and Higher Education, she is a strategist and connector, empowering clients to achieve exceptional outcomes. Dr. Stephanie’s insights have been featured in notable outlets, and she is also the creator and host of the “Empowering Women in Educational Leadership” radio show, podcast, and blog. In her highly acclaimed keynote, “Exponentially Elevate Your Impact as an Educational Leader,” she inspires audiences to define their purpose and vision in educational leadership, addressing topics like Positive Leadership, Mindset, Optimism, and Conflict Management with Grace.
Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Stephanie is actively involved in leadership roles within educational organizations and is dedicated to supporting students through community college scholarships in memory of her mother.
